Benito Lopez Held His Family Hostage For A Week, Armed With Cases Of Beer: Police

Sullivan County Sheriff

26

As Benito Lopez plowed through several cases of beer over the course of the week, his girlfriend and their two children were held against their will in the same house, police say.

Lopez, 40, was arrested on Monday, accused of preventing the woman, her 11-year-old son and 12-year-old daughter from leaving the home in Callicoon, N.Y., for seven days. The suspect, who was already on probation for felony drunk driving, was armed only with 15 cases of beer, the Times Herald-Record reports.

He drank all 15 cases.

The situation started on New Year's Eve, when Lopez allegedly confiscated the family's car keys and electronics, and disconnected the phone so nobody could call for help, The Wall Street Journal reports. It ended only when Lopez's girlfriend got access to the Internet -- by pretending to play games -- and alerted a family member on Facebook, according to the New York Daily News.

"They were pretty much held against their will," said Sullivan County Undersheriff Eric Chaboty.

Police were initially told that Lopez was armed, but when they raided the home, they found empty beer cans and bottles of booze.

Lopez was arrested and charged with three counts of unlawful imprisonment, two counts of endangering a child and two probation violations.

ALSO ON HUFFPOST:

PHOTO GALLERY

BEFORE YOU GO

Dangerous Days

PHOTO GALLERY

Dangerous Days

Benito Lopez Held His Family Hostage For A Week, Armed With Cases Of Beer: Police

Dangerous Days

Dangerous Days

1/ 137

Dangerous Days

A fireball goes up at the site of an oil train derailment Monday, Dec 30, 2013, in Casselton, N.D. The train carrying crude oil derailed near Casselton Monday afternoon. Several explosions were reported as some cars on the mile-long train caught fire. (Bruce Crummy/AP)